"Full Circle" is the culmination of many years of songwriting experience, and the efforts of a number of many fine musicians that sought to support this project. Many of the tracks were cut in the Green Room and engineered by the legendary Gene Eugene. After he passed away, the project was placed into the hands of producer/guitarist Bob Hartry and completed at his studio in San Pedro. A number of individuals believe that this is Mike's finest work, period. The list of musicians playing on this project is quite extensive. For this very reason, and as a way to say "Thank you," Mike decided to use the moniker of Clash of Symbols to represent this plethora of musicians that gave from the hearts and contributed to the "cause." Still containing a message of hope and grace, this work solidifies a more mature sounding Mike Stand that sees life a little differently than he did in The Altar Boys. Full Circle is about the journey, and the struggle to maintain a balance in the midst of changes, and life's many twists and turns. "For once in my life I gave it a whirl" Mike passionately sings in the title cut "Full Circle." This simple lyric, reflects on the many struggles, quests, or difficult situation that we may find ourselves in, where the end result is uncertain, and may even bring us right back where we started from, "Full Circle." In the end, that can be a good place though, because it is often where we find humility and brokenness, and the honesty and strength to truly live our lives in His freedom and grace. Live When You're Listening Always On My Mind Full Circle Song You Can't Tune Out Bound to the Unknown Rocket to the Moon If There's Any More to Life Heaven to the Heart This Day Is Mine The Hill The Hill - Instrumental Backing Track (With Background Harmony Vocals) The Hill - Instrumental Backing Track (No Background Harmony Vocals) Full Circle (Acoustic Version) Full Circle reviewed by Russ Breimeier Sounds like … neo-classic pop/rock that features elements of The Beatles, The Byrds, The Clash, Elvis Costello, The Gin Blossoms, and the Foo FightersAt a Glance … Full Circle is quite possibly Mike Stand's greatest work as a solo artist, featuring intelligent lyrics and catchy guitar rock. Students of '80s Christian music will recognize Mike Stand's name as the founding member and frontman of the punk rock band Altar Boys. The talented songwriter and guitarist also recorded two solo albums at the end of the '80s, as well as two more albums in the mid '90s with his modern rock band, Clash of Symbols. Since then, Mike's devoted much of his time to his wife and two children. He also works as a music teacher in the Santa Ana, California Unified School District, and as a worship leader for Echoes of Faith [church] in Ontario, California. Fortunately, these jobs afford Michael W. Stand the opportunity to occasionally record an album, such as Full Circle, which is being billed as both a Clash of Symbols recording (their first album in seven years) and a solo album (Mike's first in twelve years). However long it's been, there's enough on Full Circle to make you wish Mike Stand would record more often. Longtime fans of Mike's music know he's never fully abandoned the punk sounds of his early days. Both "Live" and "Always on My Mind" have a retro-punk-pop sound reminiscent of The Clash and Elvis Costello. There's also a healthy dose of Beatle-esque rock spread throughout the album. "Live" features a bass line worthy of Paul McCartney, and the acoustic sound of "The Hill" quickly recalls something John Lennon or George Harrison would have written back in the Fab Four's golden days. There's also a bit of the jangle-guitar-pop characteristic of The Byrds in songs such as "Song You Can't Tune Out." However, I'd call Full Circle more of a neo-classic rock album since Mike successfully fuses modern rock to the sound. If you're into the melodic pop/rock of bands such as The Elms and The Normals, be sure to check out "When You're Listening." Even more impressive are Mike's occasional leanings to grunge and Seattle power-pop, both natural progressions from the punk rock of the early '80s. Though he's surely in his 40s by now, Mike can belt out a raspy growl as well as Kurt Cobain (Nirvana) and Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters), especially on the heavy hitting "Bound to the Unknown." This is all the more impressive considering Mike also can sound as sweet and melodic as Derri Daugherty and Steve Hindalong of The Choir. Clash of Symbols is a talented band, and Mike is outstanding as both a vocalist and a guitarist (he also plays keyboard, harmonica, and wash tub on the album). But what really sets Full Circle apart is the lyrical content, which is intelligent, poetic, and clearly Christian without being too wordy or trite. The title track is an accurate depiction of a contrite heart that's learned what the most important things in life are: "Forgive me, when I trade what is right for what is wrong / I assumed they had the best for me / We know what that spells out to be / For once in my life, I gave it a whirl / Throw the swine, before the pearls / Moved from this to that / Until it brought me back / Here I am, full circle." Or how about "Song You Can't Tune Out," written as Christ's perspective on grace and mercy: "Who took a beating and never said a thing? / Gave the blind a reason to look the other way? / You say you're not against me and no one's to blame / Then why do I keep hearing my name used in vain?" Another one of my favorites is "When You're Listening," which centers on a conversation between Mike and a friend, succinctly explaining how faith comes to be: "From your vantage point, it's hard to see / With a change, you might see everything." The song "This Day Is Mine" is a smartly written reminder not to trouble ourselves with yesterday or worry about tomorrow, but rather only to concern ourselves with the present day God has granted us. The album's closer, "The Hill," offers a beautiful rendering of Christ's sacrifice at Calvary. This is a great album, though I do have one gripe with it. Despite all the talent involved and Mike's strong songwriting skills, the album could stand for some more variety. Punk-influenced melodic modern rock is clearly Mike's forte, but it comprises a huge chunk of the album. The title track stands out as a ballad, but the album never shifts gears again until the final two tracks, the rhythmic acoustic sound of "The Hill" and an acoustic rendition of "Full Circle" as a hidden track. It's easy to imagine some of the other songs on the album reinterpreted with different arrangements or tempos without resorting to overproduction; a couple Beatle-esque art-rock arrangements would have nicely rounded out the disc. That's not to say Bob Harty and Gene Eugene (who helped Mike conceptualize the album before his death in 2000) failed at producing a well-performed, solid rock album. It's merely an observation of the one thing that separates "great" from "outstanding," for me at least. Fans of melodic guitar rock or just intelligently written Christian music will still thrill to Full Circle. Full Circle Artist: Mike Stand and Clash of Symbols http://www.altarboys.com Label: Galaxy 21 Length: 11 tracks / 52:22 It was 20 years ago that Mike Stand and the Altar Boys started giving the rebellious youth-group crowd something to sing about with their Southern California, punk new wave rallying anthems such as "GLM," "I'm into God," and "When You're a Rebel." After a brief solo career in the early nineties and two critically-acclaimed modern rock albums with his new band Clash of Symbols, Stand hung up the microphone in 1995 and had remained out of the music spotlight since. Stand and Clash of Symbols have returned with a pop-flavored, upbeat offering called _Full Circle_. Fourteen band members are listed in the liner notes, and production credit is given to Gene Eugene, who died in March 2000, but not before lending his expertise to most of the tracks on the disc. Stand has described the music of the Altar Boys as "Beatles sped up," and in that sense he has indeed come full circle as the band has forgone the heavier sounds of the past two Symbols albums for a record that is replete with summery hooks and poppy melodies. Full Circle starts off with the upbeat "Live." Expressing a longing to live a deeper life, Stand sings: "So mark the road I'm walking / Wisdom when I'm talking / Something when there's nothing, to live is to You." This is followed by "When You're Listening," a possible radio single that was made to fill car speakers on a summer day. Stand has always been fond of writing songs that defiantly proclaim his faith in the midst of skepticism. "Always on My Mind" is no exception to this, as Stand sings "They say in time, I'll outgrow it / Like a phase of mine, wrongly chosen...But I'll listen to the voice that was always on my mind." The title track is melodic and smooth. Here we find Stand introspective and examining his life and how he's been led back to the essentials: "These are the things important to me now / Ring around my finger / toys on the ground / ninos wait for their favorite song / tu conteras y yo cantera." A string section is provided in this song by J'anna Jacoby and Beth Balmer. Musically, the listener is reminded somewhat of the John Lennon song, "Jealous Guy" (but without the whistling). "Song You Can't Tune Out" should appeal to fans of Stand's work with Altar Boys. Another summery song, this track features some classic Mike Stand vocal straining. The Beatles' influence continues with "Heaven to Heart," which features a Harrison-esque guitar. Full Circle's last listed track is a subdued tune titled "The Hill." Balmer's lush cello fills out this song, which would be appropriate for an Easter morning service. This is followed by a hidden track tacked on the end, an acoustic version of "Full Circle." It's great to hear Stand's bold vocals on a brand new record. From the sound of things, he hasn't lost a step, and has matured as a songwriter. Full Circle should appeal to those who enjoy a good musical ride, and is a must for any Mike Stand fan celebrating 20 years of rock from this legend. Dave Kerschbaum 7/14/2002